Delivering an executive search to appoint a strategic nursing leader to advance high quality patient centred care.
A critical leadership role with a collaborative focus on performance, people and quality.
The Brief
Future Leadership™ was engaged by this large metropolitan public health service in Victoria to appoint a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) following the departure of the incumbent. The organisation operates across three hospital campuses, with a large network of community programs, and 16 state-wide services, making this a pivotal leadership role within the Victorian healthcare system.
The appointment was driven by the need to stabilise the fundamentals of care, enhance workforce planning, and ensure the full utilisation of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system for both operational and strategic purposes. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the CNO would also oversee Allied Health services and contribute to the executive leadership team
The ideal candidate was expected to bring a strategic mindset, strong influencing capabilities, and a collaborative leadership style. The health service sought a leader who could foster a high-performing culture, advocate for the nursing profession, and support continuous improvement across clinical and non-clinical services.
The Process
Future Leadership™ undertook a comprehensive search process tailored to the organisation’s needs. The approach was designed to identify candidates with the right blend of strategic leadership, clinical excellence, and cultural alignment.
The primary components of the search included
- Briefing and Strategy Development: The Consultant team engaged with the Chief Executive Officer and senior stakeholders to gain a deep understanding of the organisation’s strategic priorities, leadership expectations, and the challenges facing nursing services. This briefing informed the development of a targeted search strategy and clarified the attributes required in the ideal candidate.
- Targeted Candidate Search: A national search was conducted across Australia and New Zealand, utilising Future Leadership’s proprietary databases, professional networks, and online advertising platforms including Seek.com.au, LinkedIn, and the Future Leadership website. The search focused on identifying candidates with executive-level experience in public and private health services, particularly those with a proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and implement integrated models of care.
- Candidate Assessment: Internal and external candidates were assessed against detailed selection criteria, which included strategic influence, workforce planning, continuous improvement, and alignment with organisational values. Candidates were evaluated through structured interviews and reference checks, with internal applicants reviewed for readiness and suitability before progressing to the Selection Committee.
- Final Evaluation: Shortlisted candidates participated in panel interviews and were assessed for their ability to lead transformational change, foster a high-performing culture, and advocate for the nursing profession. The final evaluation focused on strategic alignment, leadership style, and the capacity to deliver measurable improvements in patient care and workforce outcomes.
Future Leadership Capability Framework
Strategy and Purpose
Develops and leads strategy for the function/organisation, taking a broad and long-term perspective. Understands and considers context.
Communicates and gains buy-in to the function/organisation goals, direction and vision, promoting change initiative
Adaptability and Resilience
Demonstrates positivity, curiosity, and the ability to pivot when confronted with change, pressure, adversity and disruption.
Responsive to strategic environmental, social and corporate challenges and opportunities.
Communication and Influence
Articulates messages with clarity and impact to build understanding, inspire action, persuade others and enable information exchange.
Considers the audience and draws on different styles to create impact.
Organisational Capability
Understands the organisation's future requirements and identifies opportunities to build potential across the organisation. Seeks opportunities to develop other people and takes appropriate action to address skill gaps in others.
Stakeholder Relations
Establishes rapport with stakeholders, builds and sustains trusted and collaborative relationships.
Identifies and draws on relevant and diverse perspectives and integrates them to support productive interactions.
The Outcome
The search resulted in the appointment of a dynamic and innovative Chief Nursing Officer with extensive executive-level experience in large, complex healthcare environments. The successful candidate is a highly experienced nursing executive with a career spanning over four decades in healthcare leadership across Australia and the UAE. Renowned for driving major reform initiatives, they have held senior roles in large health services, overseeing thousands of staff and multi-billion dollar budgets. Their expertise includes clinical practice, education, research, management, and strategic leadership. Notable strengths are emotional intelligence, resilience, and the ability to lead teams through complex change, including hospital commissioning and large-scale transitions.
The candidate is recognised internationally for contributions to critical care nursing, having founded and led professional associations and served on global boards. They are adept at managing risk, facilitating difficult conversations, and mentoring others. With a substantial record of research, publications, and conference presentations the appointee demonstrates an approach that emphasises understanding, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
